Despite opposition, construction of the controversial Sh35 billlion Malewa Dam in Nyandarua county will proceed when funds become available.
Water, Sanitation and Irrigation CAS Andrew Tuimur made the announcement on Friday last week after a stakeholders’ meeting that he said approved construction.
He said a feasibility study by the Ministry of Water showed the dam on River Malewa in Kingangop is viable and will not interfere with flow into Lake Naivasha or lower water levels. The dam will take three to four years to complete.
The state says the dam is critical to the sustainability of the Industrial park in Mai Mahiu, Naivasha, and thousands of water consumers in Naivasha and Gilgil.
Opposition persists and opponents have not ruled out a court challenge.
Environmentalists, flower farm owners, fishermen and hoteliers have urged the Ministry of Water to suspend construction until there is consensus. There are fears it could kill the lake and its ecosystem and they are not convinced by the feasibility study.
They fear water will be channelled in a canal to the industrial park.
“Last month, stakeholders met and agreed the process can continue. So once funds become available, the project can proceed,” Tuimur said.
The project is being implemented by the Central Water Works Development Agency. It is to be a 70-metre-high, earth-filled dam with a spillway to control flooding.
A meeting called by senior officials in the Ministry of Water last month failed to come up with a way forward.
The dam is intended to supply 45,000 cubic metres of water a day to residents of Naivasha, Gilgil and Ol Kalou towns.
John Chumo, secretary for the national environmental ombudsman, said they have received complaints from Lake Naivasha stakeholders.
He said River Malewa is the major river feeding the lake and stakeholders fear a dam will lower water levels and hurt their livelihoods.
“They are of the opinion that proper public participation should be done for them to understand how the dam will not affect the lake,” Chumo said.
He called on the Water Resources Authority to intervene and for the National Environment Management Authority to ensure a proper Environmental Impact Assessment is done and proper public participation is carried out to alleviate fears.
Environmentalist Isaac Kalua said all procedures before construction must be carried out, including an EIA.
“The fact there are issues raised by stakeholders means these issues may not have been dealt with in the best way possible and in the interest of the community. There needs to be that spirit of replenishment and cooperation between the community and the project,” he said.
Chairman of the Lake Naivasha Water Resource Users Association (LANAWRUA) Enock Kiminta said they want an environmental audit to be done first.
He said it is not clear how much water the dam will hold and how much will be released into the lake.
“The same rivers that are serving Lake Naivasha will be used to fill up the proposed dam and this is one of the concerns we have raised in a petition,” he said.
Kiminta said stakeholders were concerned over “arm-twisting” by government officials to support the dam.
David Kihagi from Lake Naivasha Basin Water Resources Users Association (WRUA) said it was not clear who would benefit from the dam.
He said that during a meeting the state had assured them the water would be used in Naivasha, Gilgil and Ol Kalou towns alone.
“We want to be involved in the environmental audit, get more information about the dam and seek scientific data and studies on water balance in this region,” he said.
Earlier, CEO of the Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency Engineer Hosea Kipyegon defended the dam, saying it would have minimal effects on the lake and communities surrounding it.
“The dam would help in controlling the current flooding in Lake Naivasha, forcing many families to relocate,” Kipyegon said.
He said the government was keen to work with the stakeholders to address emerging concerns before construction begins.